I've recently had a lot of blood in my urine. The UA does not indicate infection. I had a scan (w/o contrast) and the kidneys looked okay. Today, I will have a scan (w/ contrast) and a cystoscopy to check my bladder. Anyone else had this problem? I have been observed for lupus for about one year. I have almost all the symptoms and my rheumatologist said we need to officially give me the diagnosis. :cry:

Thanks for your input....Lisa

Saysusie

09-24-2005, 06:13 AM

Hi Lukinahead;
Blood in your urine, or hematuria, can be classified as microscopic or gross. Microscopic hematuria is when there is very little blood in the urine and it can only be seen with a microscope. Gross hematuria is when there is enough blood in the urine that you can see it with the naked eye (usually it turns toilet water pale pink or bright red, or you may just see spots of blood in the water after urinating). Hematuria occurs in up to 10% of the general population. Often, bloody urine is from a problem in your kidneys or other parts of the urinary tract. If your kidneys, urinary tract, prostate, and genitals turn out to be fine, your doctor may check to see if you have a bleeding disorder.
There are some diseases and genetic disorders that also cause hematuria. Some of these are:
Sickle cell anemia (inherited blood disorder)
Systemic lupus erythmatosus (chronic inflammatory disorder of connective tissue)
von Hippel-Landau disease (hereditary disease in which benign tumors form on the spinal cord, kidneys, testicles, and other organs).
There are also some medications (e.g., quinine, rifampin, phenytoin) that cause hematuria. Treatment ranges from antibiotic therapy to surgery, depending on the underlying cause.

Let us know what you and your doctor's find out. Best of Luck
Saysusie